The Southern Chief
by storywriter1id
Summary: Chief Sokka reflects on the women in his life. His daughter weighs on his mind especially heavily.


The Southern Chief

a Story Based on _Avatar: The Last AirBender_

_Disclaimer: The characters herein are the property of the creators of the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender. I claim nothing._

Sokka looked out the balcony window of the Chieftain's Palace, which afforded him a magnificent view of the Southern Water Tribe's capital city and the bay it surrounded. The night time sky was clear, and Sokka admired the way Yue's light reflected off the the bay, the city, and the glaciers in the distance.

Yue. Thinking about her made him think about the other women he'd known and loved throughout his life. There was Mom, of course. But he'd been so young when he lost her that even to this day he still saw his sister's face when he thought of her. Then there was Katara. For so long his sister had been his only friend and companion. Of course they fought and bickered as siblings often do, but he promised their father once that he'd look out for her and keep her safe. Even though she was a powerful water bender, and wife of the Avatar, Sokka had never released himself from that particular vow.

That thought brought him back to Yue. He made a vow to her father that he'd protect her, too. Even though her sacrifice was her choice, and completely necessary, Sokka had never quite forgiven himself for allowing her to do so. That night she promised she'd watch over him, and on nights like this he could feel her presence. That gave him some comfort.

Then there was Suki. She was the woman he'd married and spent most of his life with. They had helped end a war together, and along with Aang, Katara, Toph, and Zuko, tried to build a new, better world together. One bit of disappointment they had was that while they watched their friends have and raise children, they weren't able to have any of their own. Not that those children weren't very much a part of their lives: they had taken Bumi under their wing and showed him how even a non-bender could achieve greatness. Sokka was also the closest thing Toph's girls had to a father figure. But the hope of having their own children eluded them, and by the time they were in their fifties, a hope they had abandoned.

Then one day, the seemingly impossible had happened: Suki was pregnant. Their joy at this news was soon overcome by dread. They'd been to all the best healers, even Katara, and the diagnosis was the same: Suki would likely not survive if she carried the baby to term. Thus, they were faced with an impossible choice. For Suki, there was no question at all. She'd lived a life of duty and sacrifice, she couldn't do less for her own child.

So, the day his daughter was born, nearly nineteen years ago, was both the happiest and saddest day of Sokka's life. From the moment Katara placed her in his arms, she had his heart. A beauty from the start, she had her mother's nose, chin, and smile with her father's eyes and color: the best parts of both of them. While her precociousness didn't surprise Sokka in the least, he was surprised to find her bending her bathwater when she was only eighteen months old.

It was an easy decision then, to resign his post on the United Republic Council and accept his appointment by the Southern Water Tribe's council of elders as Chief. The move was political as well. The Northern Chief (technically Chief of both tribes), a nephew of Chief Arnook, didn't like dealing with a council and was threatening to appoint one of his own (pre-teen!) sons Southern Chief. Having a man of Sokka's stature in the position would head that move off. In any case, moving south made sense for Sokka and his water bending daughter. He wanted to make sure she grew up immersed in the culture, and that just wouldn't happen in Republic City.

So it was here, in the Southern Water Tribe, that Chief Sokka and his daughter made their life. He, of course, spoiled her. To her credit, she was never spoiled rotten and she doted on her father. Sokka watched with pride as she'd grown into a capable water bender, and a healer with skill on par with her Aunt Katara and cousin Kya. As she blossomed into womanhood, Sokka worried, like all fathers of daughters do, how he would protect her from the wrong kind of boy. He'd worried too much, as it turned out. His daughter had keen instincts about people, and had yet to find anyone who met her own, very high standards. He had begun to worry about that somewhat. At eighteen, she was practically an "old maid" by Southern Water Tribe standards. When he voiced his concerns earlier that day, she told him, "Daddy, please don't worry about it. I'm just waiting for the right man." When he asked her who she thought that might be, she smiled and blushed and said, "I want a man who is strong, brave, wise, and funny. A man like you." It was the proudest day of his life.

As he reflected on those emotions, he felt another presence in the room. He turned, and came face to face with the Moon Spirit. "Yue," he said, reaching out to her.

"Sokka, my love," Yue smiled. "I have something important to tell you. My kinsman is coming. He was banished from the North and his birthright revoked for crimes that are not his. He no longer has a family or a tribe. Make him part of yours. The fate of the world rests on this."

Just as quickly, she disappeared. Sokka opened the window and called out, "Yue, come back!" Behind him, his chamber door opened.

"Dad, what's wrong? Is someone in here with you?" his daughter asked.

Sokka wiped away a tear and answered. "Everything's fine. Go back to bed, Senna."

_Author's Note: This particular head-cannon of mine has been bouncing around for a while, thought I'd get it out. For followers of _Rise of the Sons of Fire _and _Triumph of the Wolf_, I do plan to finish those stories. Of course given revelations from _Legend of Korra_, _The Wolf Chronicles_ is now in AU territory. We'll find out soon enough if this story is cannon compliant._


End file.
